Step to the New Road
by Tamababymiko-chan
Summary: After the manga. So, uh...what ever happened to everyone when they left? Saitou is up.
1. Enishi

**Title:** Step to the New Road

**Series:** Rurouni Kenshin

**Rating:** T for Teen

**Started:** 25-June-2006

**Finished:** In Progress

**Summary:** Everyone has an adventure when they start something new.

**Why:** While reading the last volume of the Rurouni Kenshin manga, I thought about the things that Enishi might have gone through after he dove off the boat. I decided that I wanted to make it a fan fic. Then I decided, "Hey, why not make this about everyone?" So…I did. Heh.

**Disclaimer:** Do I own Rurouni Kenshin? Wow, you people don't read the credit page at the front of the manga, do you? Dorks.

First up is Enishi.

Icy cold water rushed up to meet him. It first touched the diary, then hands, handcuffs, shoulders, head, torso, and finally the whole body. Yukishiro Enishi was engulfed with the freezing water of the Pacific Ocean.

He held the diary close to his body as he broke the surface. Gasping for air (he was after all, still beat up from the fight) he began to swim back to the island he had been on. There was a boat he had kept hidden from sight that he would use to get back to the main island. After all, even though he was Yukishiro Enishi, he was still human, and could not swim from this remote island to Honshu.

He dodged the fire from the boat. At one point, a bullet came close to him, and he pretended he had been shot, and sank down into the water, all the while swimming towards the island. He stayed under for a while, came up for air a few more times, and made it to the island without being seen by any of the police.

When Enishi emerged from the water, he shook himself off before proceeding to the boat. As he arrived, he saw the body of Woo Heishin, crumpled up in a heap. Not far off, his lackeys were still knocked out. Spit landed next to the Chinese man's head, and the white-haired man headed to the boat. He set Tomoe's diary down with great care, and pushed off.

Enishi dared not to open the book that lay before him. He didn't want to read the inside. He had just been defeated by Battousai, and Tomoe no longer smiled at him. He wasn't ready for what his older sister's diary might say.

It was a painful journey. Even though the island was only ten days away from Honshu, Enishi's body was in shambles. He had been beaten to a pulp by Battousai, and ripped his own ear drum out. He had the right to take a long time before getting back to the main island. He also survived off of fish, which he was forced to eat raw. What else could you eat in the middle of the ocean?

When the ten days were finished, Enishi docked on a beach. He stayed away from the ports, lest the police recognize him, but he made sure that he landed near Tokyo. Anything could be done from Tokyo.

The brother wandered around the streets for quite a while. He was looking for help, but not whole heartedly. He was still trying to recover from the fact that he had been beaten by Battousai, and that Tomoe did not smile at him. As he was thinking about nothing one day, he happened to pass by a village. Glancing by the sign, it read "Fallen Village." The word fallen applied to him, and he walked in, right past the men at the entrance. They tried to get him to talk about what had happened to him, and why he was here, but he ignored all of it. He wandered around inside for a moment, and found a place to sit against the side of an old building. As soon as he sat down, he stopped moving, and just let his mind stop. He was exhausted in mind, body and spirit. He thought of nothing, and did nothing.

After a few days, he received a visitor.

"You're a new face around here."

Enishi did not respond to the old man that sat down next to him. He continued to stare at the ground before him, thinking about nothing.

"Hmm…is it just in my head, or have we met somewhere before?"

The white-haired man could see the old man out of the corner of his eye, but did not say anything again.

"Ha ha ha…sorry, it must be my mind playing tricks."

Enishi actually looked at the older man this time. He stared for a few seconds, and looked back at the ground.

"My mind must be playing tricks too…I've seen your face before," he responded.

"Hmm, this is interesting. We are acquainted by a mind trick." The geezer took a deep breath, and looked up to the sky, watching the birds fly quickly past the village, and onto the trees in the distance. "Well, what you have lost and why you so beat up, I have no intention of asking such things. You will not throw that away, and so like him…you will not become a resident of this filthy village, and someday will stand and leave this place. Until then, think of this as a kind of fate…and take your time to rest."

With that, the geezer left Yukishiro Enishi by himself, and left for another three days. When he came back to the village, he was told that the young white-haired man had up and left yesterday, after finally opening the book that he had had with him. The geezer chuckled, and said,

"That's my family for ya."

One year later

Wind ruffled the white hair that sat upon Enishi's head. One hand pushed up his glasses while the other held the diary that had once belonged to Tomoe. If one looked closely, they could see that there were marks on the binding, indicating that the book had been opened recently, and indeed read.

Enishi adjusted the black coat he had on. He moved his hand up to the wooden door that he had once broken, and knocked on it. He could hear the sounds of students working on their swordsmanship, and waited for a moment, before a young boy came to the door.

"Yes?"

"Are the masters of the house here? I'd like to speak with them."

"Yes, Kaoru-sensei and Kenshin-san are in the back. Who should I tell them is here?"

Enishi thought for a moment.

"An old acquaintance."

The door opened fully, and Enishi was let inside. The young boy led him a small room that was obviously used for entertaining guests. He was given tea, and told that Kaoru and Kenshin would be in shortly. Enishi did not touch the tea, and instead looked around the room from his standing point. It was incredibly simple, from the wooden flooring to the oak table, to the cup the tea was served in. You would think that a room used for guests would be a little fancier, but than again, both Kenshin and Kaoru were simple people. The white-haired man could hear the two lovers coming closer, and clutched the diary closer to his chest. He closed his eyes, and saw Tomoe. She had a soft smile on her face. He knew that she wanted him to see Kenshin, and for Tomoe, he would do anything. Even see Battousai again, though he really didn't want to.

The door slid open. Both Kaoru and Kenshin had smiles on their faces, but when they realized who their guest was, the smiles dropped instantly.

"Hello."

Kaoru gasped and took a step back.

"Enishi…" Kenshin's eyes were wide, but they soon narrowed, and his hand reached for his sword.

"I did not come here to fight you Battousai."

"Then why did you come here," asked Kaoru.

Enishi closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "I have something that I need to tell you."

Kenshin sheathed the part of his sword he had pulled out, and closed his eyes. "Then please say what you must. This one will listen."

Kaoru watched as the man who had kidnapped her opened a page of Tomoe's diary. He flipped a few more of the brownish pages before he stopped on a page closer to the back of the book. He cleared his throat and began to read aloud.

"_November 4th. It has snowed a great deal today. Kenshin and I had a hard time getting back to the house from town with all the snow. I tripped a few times, and got my kimono all wet. Even though it fits me, I do not like the snow. _

_I have begun to realize that Kenshin is a wonderful man. He treats me so kindly every day. He hasn't ever asked about my past or how I came to be in Kyoto. He will sometimes give me a flower, or will cook our dinner if I am too busy to start it when it needs to be started. I am amazed to say this, but I believe that I love Kenshin. I have forgiven him for killing Akira. He did not know that Akira was to be my husband, and it is his job to kill those on the other side. _

_Yes, I am able to write it whole-heartedly. I am in love with Himura Kenshin." _

Enishi closed the book and his eyes as well. The room was quiet, and no one moved. When Enishi opened his eyes, he made eye contact with Battousai.

"I read this entire diary many times. I have analyzed it over and over, re-reading things if necessary. I have asked others their opinion on situations similar to the one you and Tomoe were in. I have realized that despite everything that you did to her, Tomoe really did love you. Even though you killed Akira, she was happy to be with you. It brought her great joy to be able to be married to you, Battousai." There was a pause as Enishi looked down to the diary.

"I am sorry…and thank you…for making sister happy."

With that, Yukishiro Enishi walked to the porch, and stepped into his leather shoes. He quietly walked to the gate, and left without turning back.

As he went back to the inn he was staying at, the white-haired man felt water on his face. He brought a hand up to feel what it was, and when he realized it was a tear, he rubbed it away instantly. Looking up towards the sun, Enishi closed his eyes to shield himself from the brightness. A look of surprise came upon his face, and finally, Yukishiro Enishi smiled. For when his eyes were shut, he could see Tomoe, giving him the biggest smile he had ever seen.

Fin.

**Author's notes: **Okay…what do you think? I had a difficult time trying to think like Enishi. He's always crabby and moody, and thinks that everyone needs to die. The exact opposite of me. Anywho, I hope you liked it. This is going to be my first multi-chapter fic (I really like one shots) and I hope I don't screw up to bad.

**Shameless plug! **I have a Kingdom Hearts II story that I made a while back. I didn't know that so many people upload stories onto the KH section everyday. It has two reviews which I am incredibly thankful for, but me being me, I'd like more. Anyway, if you happen to like Kingdom Hearts, please go to my profile, and read it! I would really appreciate it. Please review for this one. Having you guys tell me what and didn't work in this one will help me with the next chapter. 

Next up is Megumi.

Tamababymiko-chan


	2. Megumi

**Title:** Step to the New Road

**Series:** Rurouni Kenshin

**Rated:** T for Teen

**Started:** 25-June-2006

**Finished:** In Progress

**Summary:** Everyone has an adventure when they start something new.

**Why:** Because I wanted my own version of what happens to all the characters when they all leave Kenshin and Kaoru at the end of the manga. I also have the ability to type up what I want and stick it on the internet. Hooray for Duh, I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. Is my name on the front cover of all the manga books? No.

Second is Megumi.

It's always a difficult decision deciding whether to stay where you are, or to go back home. The decision hadn't come easy for Megumi. She loved every single person she was with in Tokyo, even if she didn't like them very much. But the truth was, she had a need to go back home. Ever since the incident with Kanryu, she had wanted to go back to Aizu, and start up her own clinic, in hopes of catching the attention of her family, if they were still alive. And even though she had wanted that so much, she decided to stay in Tokyo for a while.

She had had a wonderful time. Being able to be friends with and treat the one and only Hitokiri Battousai was something incredibly amazing. She had learned each time she healed him how to make the wounds heal faster. Sano and Yahiko were a handful. They were constantly getting hurt, even when they weren't fighting actual battles. And Megumi could tell that Kaoru had grown up since their first encounter. Even though she was still just a child, she no longer thought only of herself. Kaoru was all about the others, and would do anything for them, even if she had to cook. (No one asked her to.)

After all of the battles her friends had gone through, she was the one that patched them up. During the first fight with Enishi, Megumi had secretly decided that she was going to go back home. She had gotten many offers in the mail and in person from all over Tokyo, and in Aizu. She wanted to stay with everyone, but she needed to go home.

"You're going back to Aizu? Why so suddenly?" asked Kaoru.

"It's not like I decided this today. I have had offers to open a clinic in Aizu." Megumi smiled at everyone. "This last incident seems to have come to a close, and my treatment of Ken-san and Yahiko-kun is almost over. I plan to leave Tokyo in a week."

It was settled like that. Megumi would leave the Kamiya Dojo in a week, and go back to Aizu. When Kenshin told her that they would all send her off, she thanked them, and looked to the ground.

"Also…Ken-san…there is something I have been hiding from you, but as a doctor…I must tell you this…"

Kenshin smiled and closed his eyes.

"Is it about this one's body?"

She was heart broken to have to tell this to Kenshin, but when she said that in about four or five years he would no longer be able to use Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu, he told her that he had the feeling that his body would no longer be able to handle it. She was glad that he knew and that he had taken the news so well, but at the same time it was very depressing. Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu was what had stopped every opponent that had ever tried to defeat Kenshin. In a way, it almost was him. How would he be able to deal with the change? Kenshin didn't elaborate on the matter more than was already spoken, and Megumi didn't ask. She rose from her seat, and excused herself from the room to go back to the clinic. She had patients waiting for her.

During her final week in Tokyo, she had many people come up and tell her how sad they were that she was leaving. She also got about the same amount of patients in that single week as she did in three weeks. Interestingly enough, Sanosuke did not visit once. For some reason, it made Megumi mad.

When the week was over with, everyone headed to the Shinbashi Station. Aoshi and Misao left first thing in the morning, and then it was Megumi's turn.

"It was only for a short while…but thank you…for everything."

"Are you going to walk back?" asked Yahiko.

"No way! I am getting a ride in a carriage owned by Oguni-sensei's friend." Megumi turned her attention to Kenshin, handing him a piece of paper. "If you sense anything wrong with your body, please contact me here. I'll come as soon as I can."

Kenshin accepted the piece of paper with a smile. "Thank you. But when that time comes, this one and friends will come to you." Closing his eyes, he started up again. "It is a doctor's duty to help those who are sick and wounded. But you will find joy as well as duty."

Megumi mimicked his actions, closing her eyes as well. "Yes. I'll do my best." Turning towards Kaoru, the doctor stuck out her left arm which held medications. "And for you…take this. These are medications and prescriptions for when Ken-san and the rest get hurt…um…" Megumi stopped midway through her sentence, because the Kamiya girl looked incredibly sad. "Hey! Why are you all depressed? I thought you didn't like me."

"Yeah, I didn't." Megumi was about to retort when the girl started up again. "But…with all these partings…"

Sanosuke's hand flew to Kaoru's head.

"Hey, don't get so down. It's only Aizu. You can get there in a day, right?"

"Only you can!" replied the doctor.

"And you'll be going to Kyoto once a year to visit Tomoe's grave. This isn't goodbye for good. You can go see anyone if you want to."

Megumi looked to Sanosuke. "Every once in a long while, you have something good to say."

"I always have something good to say," the rooster said.

She smiled. "Come to Aizu when your right hand starts acting up. I'll take a look for you."

Sanosuke nodded his head. "Why, thank you."

The Aizu beauty gave the box of medications to Kaoru. "There you go. You need to lose the somber face." The next sentence was said softer. "Ken-san chose you. Not Tomoe-san, or me. Smiles are the best medicine for Ken-san's scars. So if at all times…you watch over Ken-san with smiles, one day..." She paused and tapped the Kamiya girl on the head. "Before and after the Kyoto battle, and now this…it seems like I scold you a lot. I always play the bad cop."

Megumi faced the carriage, took a breath, and turned around, giving a little bow. "Well everyone…take care."

"Yes, take care," answered Kaoru.

And just like that, Takani Megumi left, and didn't turn around even once.

**Two Years Later **

The sun scorched down on the streets of Aizu. It had been hot all week, and more than a fair share of the city's occupants had ended up at Megumi's clinic with heat stroke. She was in the middle of attending to one of her patients when Nishikawa-san, the other doctor that she worked with, popped his head in.

"Megumi-san, you have a visitor."

The doctor kept on working as she talked. "Please tell them that I will see them as soon a possible. Do you have any idea who the person is?"

"Well…it's a man with spiky hair…kind of like a rooster."

A small smile came to her face.

"Alright, I'll be out there in a moment." Nishikawa nodded, and closed the door. Megumi finished tending to her patient, and let them go. Passing a mirror on her way to the door, the doctor did a quick fix with her hair. She hadn't seen Sanosuke in two years, so she felt she should at least have her hair looking decent.

When she slid the door open, the first thing she noticed was that the rooster-head was in an all black, western-style suit instead of his usual white. He still had the bandages on his right arm, but she wouldn't have recognized him in the street if she hadn't looked twice. He was leaning against the wall with his legs crossed, his arms crossed in front of his chest.

"Well look at you Sagara Sanosuke. I hadn't pictured you to be someone wearing a suit," the fox said with a smile.

Sanosuke grinned, and pushed himself off the wall. He walked over to stand in front of Megumi, and gave her a hug.

"I had to wear them all the time in America. They didn't like my Japanese clothes, so I had to find something more 'suitable' for their tastes."

"What did you do over there?" the fox asked as they broke the hug.

"I did a lot of negotiating with ships in a harbor on the coast of California. I'd tell them the prices my company would pay. They would tell me what they would pay. I'd make them see it our way—"

"You didn't hit anyone, did you?"

Sanosuke chuckled. "No, I didn't fight anyone there…although I did enter a few boxing matches. I only did that when I was low on money."

"Was that all the time?"

"C'mon Megumi, what do you think I am, a cheapskate?"

"Yes," replied the doctor. "Anyway, why did you come back to Japan? I thought you liked it in America?"

"I did. The people are really nice. They thought it was cool that I hitchhiked from boat to boat to get there. And there was this nice old woman named Elizabeth who let me stay at her house when I needed to. They were awesome, but after a while, it got boring. I went to the other states, but I got sick of the English, so I decided to come back here. Besides, I've got people here who love me."

Megumi snorted, and ran into a back room. When she came out, she was holding her purse.

"The Akabeko opened a restaurant here about six months ago. Are you hungry?"

"You bet I am."

Sano and Megumi talked about a lot that day. Sanosuke shared his greatest adventures from America, and how different the culture was. He also talked about how Tokyo looked more like a western city every day, and the latest news from Kenshin and Kaoru. Megumi had attended the wedding, and Sano was happy to announce that Kaoru was pregnant, and the two lovers were excited over their first child.

Megumi talked about her career as a doctor. She mentioned how the clinic was small at first, and then how she teamed up with Nishikawa-san, and the clinic grew. They were able to switch on days if they needed to, and they had just gotten a brand new doctor who was in need of training.

"Mmm…so, is this Nishikawa guy handsome?" asked Sanosuke while slurping soba noodles.

"Yes. There are many women in Aizu that want to marry him."

"What about you? You've been husbandless for a while now. Aren't you past the marrying age?"

Megumi threw a chopstick at his face. "Just because I haven't married anyone doesn't mean that I don't want to. And as a matter of fact, I am not interested in Nishikawa-san. He is not my type."

"Really," said Sanosuke with a grin. "What kind of man is your type?"

"Well…I don't know. I suppose if I had to pick a man, it would be someone strong. He has to look good…hmm…" said Megumi as she placed her chin in her palm. "He would have to be kind, and love me very much…and be a really good kisser."

Sanosuke laughed.

"Well, excuse me for wanting qualities in a man!" Megumi stood up, paid the waitress at the front, and walked out the door. Sanosuke was quick to follow, and caught up to the beauty easily, taking her left wrist in his right hand.

"Let go of me," demanded the doctor as she tried to pull free from his grasp.

"Aw, c'mon fox, don't be mad. I didn't mean to make fun of you. I was just surprised at how well you described me."

"**What?** When did I ever say I was talking about you?" asked the woman.

"Well, look at me. I'm strong, I look good. I'm kind—"

"When you want to be," she interjected.

"—and I'm an awesome kisser," said Sanosuke without skipping a beat. "Want me to prove it?" he asked.

Before Megumi could protest, the rooster-head placed his lips against hers. The doctor tried to push him away, but he took her wrists in his hands, and put them by her side. They continued to kiss, and when Megumi kissed him back, Sanosuke grinned. People on the street were shocked, but the doctor didn't care. She felt a hand brush back some of her hair, and she mover her right hand up his arm a bit. They stayed locked together, kissing until they needed air. After breaking apart, Megumi kept her eyes closed as she tried to catch her breath. When she finally did, she said,

"You are such a stupid man, Sagara Sanosuke."

"No I'm not," he replied. Taking her left hand in his right, he continued. "Oh, by the way…I'm looking for a woman who's a doctor. She's strong, smart, beautiful, and a good kisser." He grinned again. "Care to be her?"

A few months passed, and the two got married. After the wedding, someone asked her why she married him.

"Oh that's easy. I married him because he happened to be what I was looking for. He's strong, he looks good…and I love his kisses."

Fin

**Author's notes: **Okay…I don't really know about that chapter. I have a hard time writing the relationship between Sanosuke and Megumi. Those two are so different, and just have a harder time with them. Please review.

Next up is Saito.

Tamababymiko-chan


	3. Saitou

**Title:** Step to the New Road

**Series:** Rurouni Kenshin

**Rated:** T for Teen

**Started:** 25-June-2006

**Finished:** In progress

**Summary:** After the manga. Everyone has an adventure when they start something new.

**Why:** You know how authors have the tendency to just leave you hanging as to what happens to your favorite characters? I hate it. Anyway, I wanted to explain my version of what happened to all of them.

**Disclaimer:** Still don't own Rurouni Kenshin. It's really all just wishful thinking on my part.

**Note: ** I have no idea what Tokio, Saitou's wife, looks like. In fact, none of us do. The only image we get is in the anime, when Kenshin and Misao think she looks like Buddha, because who in their right mind would marry him? I'm making up my own idea of what she looks like, so live with it.

Third is Saitou.

Cigarette smoke filled the air around Hajime Saitou. His eyes narrowed as he took another drag on the little cylinder hanging from his mouth. Looking down to the ash tray, he realized that he had smoked the most cigarettes ever in his entire life all in one night. Scowling, he picked up the letter next to the ash tray. Reading the contents over again, he threw the letter on the floor. His eyes closed as he thought back to this afternoon, and sighed.

_Kosaburou, a new officer, knocked on the door. When Saitou let him in, he was handed a letter, and told it was from Himura. Saitou dismissed the officer, and read the letter. _

'_In a few years, this one will no longer be able to use Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu. Our score has yet to be settled. If you wish, this one will fight you at midnight by the river. _

_Himura Kenshin.'_

_His eyes widened a fraction of an inch. He had some kind of idea that Battousai's body was wearing down, but not to the degree of no longer being able to use his techniques. He stood up from his desk chair, and sat down on the couch. Reading the letter again, he looked up when Cho walked in and told him of his new invitation. _

"_From Battousai? Is it a thank-you letter for the past fight or something?" _

"_You want to read it?" asked the wolf. _

"_Hmm. What's this…" mumbled the sword collector as he shoved a cotton ball up his nose. After a moment, he stopped, and pulled it out. "Uh…whoa…this is…" _

"_Heh. Isn't it interesting?" _

"_This is no joke. This means…"_

That was all Cho was able to say after he read the note. Saitou looked to the clock. He was to have met the former Hitokiri by the river at midnight. It was now one-thirty. Lighting up another cigarette, he smoked through that one, and four more before two rolled around. Hearing footsteps approach, his hand went to his sword, and he eyed the door. When Cho walked in, the broom-head jumped back.

"What? What are you doing?" he asked surprised.

"What do you want at a time like this," the wolf asked irritated.

"Well," began the sword collector nervously, "I was getting bored of being a spy, so I thought I'd steel whatever I could sell and…wait, what are you doing here?" he said as he recovered from his outburst. "It's way past the time for your duel! Hurry!"

"Humph…who said I'd accept?"

Cho's eyes widened. "Huh?"

"The man I want to settle the score with is Hitokiri Battousai, and not _that_ man." Saitou turned to look outside and took another drag of his cigarette before continuing. "A wolf is a wolf. Shinsengumi is Shinsengumi. And a Hitokiri is a Hitokiri. That's what I thought, but I must have read it wrong."

"Himura Kenshin and Hitokiri Battousai are the same person, right?" said Cho with a puzzled look. "I don't understand what you're saying." The broom-head remained quiet as he stared at back of Saitou's head, waiting for a reply. A few moments later, the wolf spoke.

"It doesn't matter if you don't understand," he stated, putting out his cigarette. "I will get no joy out of settling the score…with a Hitokiri who no longer kills. That's…all."

A gust of wind blew in from the open window that Saitou had been staring out of. Papers picked up and blew everywhere while the curtains moved with ferocity.

"Whoa!" shouted Cho as he threw his arms up to protect his face. Facing the cold breeze, Saitou lit another cigarette, and let the match drop to the floor. "It's getting cool…" he said out loud, sucking in the toxic fumes.

"Huh? Oh, yeah. It's autumn already."

Blowing them out into the fresh air, the last thing Cho heard him say that night was,

"Fool."

**Two years later**

White puffs of snow fell gently upon the streets of Kyoto. Children threw out their hands trying hard to catch the crystallized water, while their parents ushered them to go faster, trying to get out of the cold. As one woman bent down to pick up her excited son, she bumped into the shoulder of a man walking by.

"Oh, excuse me! I'm so sorry," she said, snatching up her boy.

"Hnn…" was all the man said as he continued to walk. Pulling his jacket closer to his body, he marched home, wanting to get back to the fire his wife had waiting for him.

When he entered the door to his house, he was greeted with a "Welcome back." Closing the door, Saitou studied the outline of his wife, Tokio. She was taller than the Kamiya girl, but she still only reached up to his chest. Her hair was obsidian colored, cropped into a bob that framed her face, and her eyes were dark blue. Today she wore a blue and black striped kimono and a white apron over that.

"How is it outside?" she asked.

"Cold."

"If you give me your jacket, I'll give you a cup of tea." Said article of clothing landed in Tokio's arms as her husband poured tea for himself from the kettle hanging over the fireplace. Saitou took in a whiff of the smell, and his nose scrunched up a bit.

"You made green tea again."

"And?" she asked while placing his jacket on the hook by the door.

"You know I don't like it."

Tokio looked over and watched as her husband took a drink of the hot liquid. "Then why do you drink all of it when I make it?"

Saitou said nothing, and walked back to their bedroom while sipping on the drink. Smiling, the black-haired woman began to set the table for dinner. She set out bowls for rice, chopsticks, and a small plate for some bread she had made earlier that day. Turning around to the stew hanging above the fire, she poured what they would eat into the bowls in her hands. When she was finished, she was greeted with the sight of her husband in a white hakama and a black gi. As he sat down to the table, she set the stew down, scooped the rice into their bowls, put bread on the plates, and poured more tea into their cups.

"Itadakimasu," they both said as the separated their chopsticks. Saitou started with the rice, while Tokio took a bite of her bread. Nothing was heard for some time except the sound of chewing, when she finally broke the silence.

"How is Battousai?"

In the middle of chewing, Saitou looked up at his wife with a small look of shock.

"Why should I know?" he responded in between bites.

"Well," she started, "the last time I saw you wear a hakama and gi was thirteen years ago, just after the war ended. It made me think of Battousai, because that is all he wears." She paused for a moment, and spoke again. "Do you still keep tabs on him?"

Saitou ripped a chunk of his bread off, and dunked it in the bowl of stew. "The last thing I heard was that he had married the girl he lived with."

"You don't speak with him anymore?"

Setting his chopsticks on top of the bowl of stew, Saitou closed his eyes and answered. "I do not associate myself with people who suppress who they really are. I will not fight a man who will not be willing to kill to defeat the enemy in front of him."

Smiling, Tokio began to gather the dishes for washing. Before she set them down, she placed a kiss against her husband's cheek.

"That's what I love about you Hajime. You are always willing to do what you need to get what you want."

"You mean the way I got you?" he asked as he stood up.

"Exactly."

Fin.

**Author's notes: **Not even gonna talk about this chapter…please just review. It makes me happy.

Next up is Aoshi and Misao.

Tamababymiko-chan


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